Restricted
by the-assistant's-blog
Summary: Sherlock receives a restricted call. But it's not from Moriarty. Who could it be? The British government is having trouble identifying the number, which is unlike him. Could he be faking?
1. Temptation

**Temptation**

_Beep,_ Sherlock's phone sounded beside him. He was sitting in his chair at 221B Baker Street, playing his violin. _Hmm,_ he thought, _now who could that be?_ He picked up his phone, but it wasn't a text. His phone read _1 missed call: RESTRICTED._ At once Sherlock leaped up.

"John! I need your help," Sherlock called.

"Yes?" John popped his head in the doorway.

"Find out what this restricted number is."

The doctor sighed. "All right, Sherlock." John sat down at his computer and started to type slowly.

"John, honestly, couldn't you type just a bit faster?"

"Hold… on…"

"Dear God, John. Move over," Sherlock sighed. He sat down where John was before.

"Find anything, Sherlock?" John said after a few minutes. Sherlock just grunted. "Nice, thank you for the information," John muttered.

"Call Mycroft."

"Sherlock, it was just a restricted call. Maybe a telemarketer or something like that. Just let it be."

"Let it be? Let it be? John, I can't let this be! What if it's a case, or a clue or some other thing?" Sherlock cried.

"Okay, Sherlock," John soothed and took Sherlock's arm in his hand. Sherlock glanced down where John's hand was clasped on his arm.

Sherlock cleared his throat. "Excuse me. I'm going to call Mycroft now." Sherlock turned away and dialed Mycroft's number.

"_Sherlock, dear brother. You really should call more often."_

"Mycroft I need your help. I got a call from a restricted number. Don't tell me it's not important because John and I already went through that."

"_Hmm. Fine, Sherlock. I'll be over soon." _Then the elder Holmes hung up. _

Sherlock, John and Mycroft were all gathered around Mycroft's high-tech computer. They had been working for about an hour by the time Mycroft finally spoke. "Well, Dr. Watson, seems you were wrong. The significance of this undefined call is a member of the utmost important subjects of the unidentified things in the contact world."

"English, please?" The doctor requested.

Mycroft smiled a small smile. "The person who called my brother purposely made this number restricted. Why they did this, I can't tell. I'm trying to track this number, but the person who made this is very educated in the technology field."

Sherlock and John looked at each other. John raised his eyebrows but Sherlock shook his head. "No, not Moriarty. This isn't like him."

"Sherlock that man has broke into a bank, sat on a throne, paid people so he wouldn't go to jail, had people strapped to bombs, stolen children. What ISN'T like him?"

"Good point, John. But I know Moriarty-"

"Sherlock, as do I!"

"Settle down you two. It isn't Moriarty. I know that much." Mycroft put in.

"How?" John questioned.

Mycroft spun around, "Dear John, I am the British government. The government knows everything. If I tried to explain it to you, you wouldn't be able to comprehend it, so there really is no point in telling you." Mycroft spun back around to his computer.

John sighed and raised his eyebrows at Sherlock. Then the doctor turned for he heard footsteps coming up the stairs.

"Oh hello, Mycroft, dear!" Mrs. Hudson chimed.

"Hello, Mrs. Hudson," the elder Holmes sighed.

"Problem?"

"Tea, please, Mrs. Hudson," Sherlock said.

"I'm not your housekeeper, I'm just your landlady."

"Caffeinated, earl grey, please." Just then Sherlock's phone buzzed.

_Come and play- St. Bart's roof- if you dare. ~ H_

"I'll be right back." Sherlock jumped up from his seat.

"Where are you-" John began.

"Just going out for some air. Be back soon…" Sherlock's voice died out as he exited 221B Baker Street.


	2. Time to Consult the Criminal

**Time to Consult the Criminal**

Sherlock hailed a taxi and went to St. Bart's. He stood outside looking up at the building for a second. Then his eye caught something on the roof and he ran inside. He sprinted up the stairs and burst open the door. But no one was there.

"Hello?" Sherlock called as he spun around. Suddenly his phone beeped.

_Well, well, well… The great Sherlock Holmes took the challenge. ~ H_

"Yes," Sherlock said aloud.

Then Sherlock felt a prick in his neck and heard a voice behind him. "Hello, Sherlock. Good to see you." Sherlock whipped around and caught a glimpse of a woman standing in front of him before he crumpled to the ground.

"Goodnight, Mr. Holmes."

Back at 221B the group was getting restless.

"Where is he?" John said. "It isn't like him to be this long. Maybe I should go look for him."

"No, John. My brother knows what he's doing. He's not dumb."

"Mycroft, please."

"All right, Mr. Watson. I shall go look for my brother to ease your mind."

"Thank you so much," John sighed. With that, Mycroft left.

After about an hour, John got up from his chair. "I'm going to look for him."

"John, dear. Mycroft is looking right now. He'll figure it out. Why don't you call Lestrade? He's a detective too." Mrs. Hudson said.

"I know. But not the consulting detective. I wish Sherlock were here to solve this.

"But if Sherlock was here-,"

"I know!" John snapped. But then he turned and saw Mrs. Hudson's crestfallen face. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Hudson…" Suddenly Lestrade entered the room.

"Where is he?"

"I don't know!" John yelled. "He isn't answering his phone."

"John, calm-" Mrs. Hudson began.

"Don't tell me to calm down! Sherlock is my best friend. I have to find him!"

Suddenly Mycroft swept in, held out his hand and said, "The roof Mr. Watson. St. Bart's. Do you know my brother?" In Mycroft's hand was Sherlock's phone.

"Sherlock…" John whispered as he took the phone from Mycroft. "I'm going to find him."

"No, John." Mycroft said.

"What? He's your brother! Don't you want him found?"

"Of course, John. But someone captured Sherlock, they probably are expecting someone to go rescue him. I don't want you getting hurt."

John looked at Mycroft suspiciously. "How do you know that?"

"It's criminal work, John. I would expect you to know that."

John stared at Mycroft like he'd just given him an idea. "Criminal," John said slowly. "Moriarty."

"This isn't something-," Lestrade put in.

"No, I know. But maybe he could help…"

"John, your not seriously thinking of…" Mycroft trailed off.

"Yes," John turned to his friends. "It's time to consult the criminal."


	3. A New Lead

**A New Lead**

The consulting criminal was walking down the street when a black car pulled up beside him. "Get in," said a woman's voice in the car.

"Anthea dear, it's been a while, hasn't it?" Moriarty mused as he slid into the car. "Am I in trouble?" He asked innocently.

"No. John Watson, Sherlock's assistant, wants to speak with you," Anthea replied.

"Now what on earth would the consulting detective's assistant want with me?" Moriarty questioned.

"You'll have to ask him." The rest of the ride to 221B Baker Street was silent.

* * *

When Moriarty arrived John, Mycroft, Lestrade and Mrs. Hudson were all standing in the living room.

"Moriarty!" John exclaimed.

"You called for my help, Mr. Watson?"

"Yes. You see, we have a problem…" With that, the doctor explained the whole situation to Moriarty. "And so we need your help to locate him. Can you or will you help us?"

"Hmm… As much as I have a certain disliking for the consulting detective in a part of my heart… I will help you. Because what fun is it for me if the consulting detective is dead? It wouldn't do at all; a whole new twist to life." With that, Moriarty turned around and walked out of the room, down the stairs and out of the house.

* * *

"You're really going to help them?" Sebastian asked when Moriarty got in the car.

"Of course, Seb." Moriarty replied as he texted on his phone.

"But why?"

"Well…" Moriarty smiled slowly. "Why not?" Sebastian opened his mouth then closed it, with a confused look on his face.

Suddenly Moriarty grinned at his phone. "What?" Sebastian questioned.

"I think I might have found a new lead on our little case."

"Which is…?"

"Stop the car! Back to 221B, now," Moriarty called. Tires screeched, and the car was on its way to Sherlock and John's flat.

* * *

"Looks like our criminal wasn't as careful as he thought- or should I say she." Moriarty said as he re-entered the flat.

"What?"

"The person is female, Dr. Watson. That's generally the term of 'she'."

"How do you know?"

Moriarty smiled. "I am the consulting criminal. You don't think I would have some connection with technology?"

"How did you figure it out, but Mycroft didn't?" John looked at Mycroft expectantly.

"That's not the problem right now. There is always a control center for everything in this complicated world. To make a restricted call, one must contact the technology base. Every country has one, to document any crimes. I high jacked the system and found out who contacted your partner around the time you said he requested your help. The only one was contacted by a phone owned by a female."

"Who is it?"

"Technology will tell a lot, Mr. Watson, but it won't tell everything. That's the fun in crime solving. Officials have been nice enough to leave some of the mystery to us." Moriarty said with glee.

"But couldn't he…-she just have used someone else's phone?"

"John… No one else contacted the base at that time, therefore no one placed a restricted call then. Haven't you been listening?"

"Oh…" John said. "So what now?"

"Now," said the consulting criminal. "We start questioning every female Sherlock knows. And we start with Molly Hooper."


	4. Questions and Answers

**Questions and Answers**

The door closed as Moriarty walked in. "So Miss Hooper. Here we are."

"What do you want Jim?" Molly said haughtily.

"Such hostility! I merely would like the honor of asking you some questions." Jim said as he sat down.

"Fine."

"Where is Sherlock?" Moriarty leaned in on the table that separated him and Molly.

"People say he's missing."

"Do you know anything about it?"

"No."

"Hmm." Moriarty said as he leaned back in his chair. "What have you been up to the past few days?"

"Nothing." Molly said as she looked around.

"Molly."

"Yes, Jim?"

"You know nothing about this "H" person who texted Sherlock?"

"No," said Molly defiantly. "I've been in the lab for the past few days."

"Maybe you helped contact the technology base?"

"No…" Molly said slowly.

Moriarty touched Molly's hand and said, "Molly, dear. You really know absolutely nothing that would help this case?"

Molly got chills up her spine. _Should I tell him?_ she thought. She bit her lip and said nothing.

"That's what I thought." Moriarty said. Then he removed his hand and got up to leave.

As he was turning Molly said, "Wait."

"Yes?" Jim turned.

"Fine. I know something, but I'm not the instigator here." And Moriarty's lips curled into a smile as Molly said those words.


	5. Baffled

**Baffled**

"So you're saying you helped whoever your boss is in contacting the system?" Lestrade questioned.

"That's right," Molly Hooper said evenly. She was sitting at a desk, light shining on her Lestrade, Moriarty, and John towering above her.

"Did your boss use your phone?"

"My lips are sealed," Molly said with attitude.

"I see." Lestrade said, and backed up from the table.

"Why don't we call Mycroft?" John suggested.

"Mycroft?" Molly asked with sudden interest, an edge to her tone.

"Hmm…" Moriarty said. "Yes, Mycroft. Do you know anything that has to do with him?"

"No, no," Molly said quickly. Then realizing her mistake said, "I just don't see why you have to ask the British government to get involved, that's all."

"He already involved," Lestrade said.

"What? How?"

Ignoring her question, Moriarty said accusingly, "Mycroft has something to do with this."

"Of course not," Molly said defiantly. "Mycroft is Sherlock's brother."

Taking out his phone, Lestrade said, "Well then you won't mind if we call him, will you?" Without waiting for an answer, Lestrade dialed Mycroft's number.

"_Mycroft Holmes."_

"Yes, this is Lestrade. Come down to my office building. Someone will bring you to the room we're in. We need your help."

"_May I ask what kind of help?"_ Mycroft questioned.

"Sherlock's case."

"_Hmm… I see."_ Then Mycroft hung up.

"I think he's coming," Lestrade nodded to the group.

* * *

As Mycroft walk in the room Molly lowered her eyes. "What's happening?" he asked.

"Molly says she knows stuff," Lestrade commented.

"Is that true?" Mycroft directed his question to Molly.

"Yes," Molly whispered.

"Do you have something to do with this, Mycroft?" Moriarty said.

"What is he doing here?" Mycroft demanded, glaring at Jim.

"He's helping us, remember?" John put in.

"Of course…" Mycroft said. "How can I be of service?" He returned his gaze to Lestrade.

"We need you to get what information you can out of Miss Hooper."

Mycroft looked at Molly, and she met his eyes. Suddenly his phone beeped. "Excuse me," and he stepped out.

_Don't give me away. ~ H_

_What should I do? ~ MH_

_You are the British government. Think of something. ~ H_

_No. I won't do that to Molly or myself. I'm going to help them, but I won't give you away. ~ MH_

_Pity. I thought you were loyal. When you recover, then deal with this. ~ H_

"When I recover?" Mycroft whispered to himself.

Before Mycroft could respond, there was another text. He opened it and it read _"You're phone has been hacked."_ "Damn," he muttered. He scanned through his phone and saw that only his text messages were removed. "Very clever…"

"What's clever, Mycroft?" Lestrade said. He had opened the door without Mycroft noticing.

"Nothing," Mycroft remarked and walked back into the room. "Now-"

"Fine," Molly cried before Mycroft could finish his sentence. "It's a female. Moriarty you are right. Sherlock was brought to the roof- that's where he went. I don't know anything other than that. She didn't tell me anything else."

Fast as light Mycroft reached across the table and held Molly's wrist in his hand. "She's telling the truth."

"How do you know?" Lestrade asked.

Jim nodded in agreement with Mycroft. "Someone's heart will beat faster for fear of being found out if they are lying."

"That has been proven correct," John added.

"All right. Well Molly, looks like we don't need you anymore. That is- if you have no more information to give us," Lestrade looked at her expectantly.

Molly's gaze fell on each person in the room in turn. "You don't know who it is?" There was no doubting the shock in her voice.

"Who is it?" Jim demanded.

"Well I can't tell you that," Molly smirked. "You ALL should know," she looked around the room again, though her gaze lingered a little longer on John than any of the others. But she said nothing. "If that is all you need, then I'll be on my way."

"Yes…" Lestrade said quietly, and looked at John suspiciously. The door closed and they were left in the room all very baffled about the information Molly Hooper had just given them.


	6. Housekeeper

**Housekeeper**

Back at 221C, Mrs. Hudson was tidying up her place. Suddenly there was a knock at her door. She opened the door and there was a woman there, with two men in black behind her.

"Hello, can I help you?" Mrs. Hudson chimed.

"Ah, Mrs. Hudson. I know John Watson and-" the woman began.

"Oh you know John!" Mrs. Hudson said pleasantly.

"Yes… Well, to business."

"Come in, come in!"

The woman and the two men entered the apartment, and Mrs. Hudson closed the door gingerly.

"Tea?" Mrs. Hudson asked cheerfully.

"No thank you." The woman snapped her fingers and the men moved forward. They grabbed Mrs. Hudson's arms.

"What's going on?"

"Nothing that concerns you Mrs. Hudson."

"Not so tight please."

"I really do hate complainers… I'll just grant you a little nap." She smiled and one man hit Mrs. Hudson on the back of her head hard and she crumpled to the floor. "Let's go, boys."

"John?" Lestrade said, looking at him expectantly.

"Yes," Mycroft muttered. "Is there something you would like to tell us?"

"What? You think I did it?" John cried. "I'm not female!"

"You always did have an attraction to Sherlock…" Jim added.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Are you gay, John?" Lestrade asked.

"Umm, I'm sorry how is this helpful?"

"Never mind," Mycroft said. "Let's get on with it."

"So… Who do you know who dislikes Sherlock who's a girl?"

"Am I supposed to know the answer to that?" John questioned. Just then, his phone beeped. "Look at this," John showed his phone to Mycroft.

_Give up yet?_

"What's the number?

"I-I don't know…" John mused.

"What do you mean?" Lestrade said.

"I can't close the message or find any contact number.

Jim grabbed the phone and sighed. "Whoever did this is very clever. They sent a lock to your phone too. As soon as you opened the message, it locked your phone."

"But I didn't open the message!" John said desperately.

"They she sent an automatic open and lock," Jim said quietly.

"How do you know this?" John said, narrowing his eyes.

"Yes… How do you know?" Mycroft asked.

"Honestly. I may despise Sherlock, but completely demolishing his existence is not my thing."

"As much of a criminal as you are, I think you're right. This isn't your type of division." Lestrade said.

"This mission is getting quite boring. So if we could please move on with it," Moriarty suggested.

Suddenly, John's phone beeped again. John looked at it and gasped.

_Your housekeeper is waiting._

"What?" Lestrade asked.

"She's got Mrs. Hudson…"


	7. A Step Closer

**A Step Closer**

"I have to go find her!" John sounded a little crazy as he bolted for the door.

"Stop him!" Lestrade said. At that command, Moriarty shot in front of John, blocking the door.

"Let me get to her!" He cried.

"John, you can't go after her, they want you to." Lestrade explained.

"Better let your landlady handle it herself…" Moriarty put in.

"No! It will lead me to Sherlock too." John said. He tried to push past Moriarty, but the consulting criminal was too strong.

"As… disturbing as it sounds, I agree with the criminal. You must let Mrs. Hudson help herself. We can't afford to lose anyone," Mycroft said softly.

John turned. "Don't you care about her?"

"Of course. It's because we care

Mrs. Hudson awoke to find herself in a small room, sitting in a chair with her hands tied behind her back. The door opened and a woman walked in.

"So, the housekeeper is awake."

"Ah, for what it's worth," Mrs. Hudson said as she examined the situation. "I'm not the housekeeper, just their landlady."

"In this case, it isn't worth very much."

"Oh…"

"Do you know why you're here?"

"No."

"Well for starters it will move things along. Your friends are a bit slow…"

"Their looking for Sherlock."

"Yes, yes I know."

"They know it's a female…" Mrs. Hudson said carefully. "Did you take Sherlock?"

"At least someone caught on," the woman smirked.

"Where is he? Is he all right? I must tell John."

"Hmm… No, that won't do. You can see him, but you two won't be contacting anybody."

"And why not?"

The woman sighed. "The quickest to catch on, but the slowest to understand. You see, John knows you are gone. He will try to contact you and then my point will be made."

"What point? Who are you anyway?"

"That," the woman said., "Is something I will not tell you."

"They might not let him."

"Who?"

"Mycroft, Greg, and Jim."

"Hmm… I didn't think of that. Well thank you, old woman. Goodbye." With that, the woman exited the room.

_Old woman,_ Mrs. Hudson thought, _I'm not _that_ old._

Back at the room where the group had interrogated Molly, John was still trying to get out. Just then, 3 phones beeped. Everyone dug in their pockets for their phones. Mycroft, Moriarty and Lestrade all got a text.

"What is it?" John said after a few moments.

At first no one spoke. Lestrade was the first one to speak. "She wants us to let you go."

"What?"

Mycroft spoke next. "She said 'Let him go. His housekeeper is getting impatient'. What should we do?" Everyone turned to Moriarty.

"So I'm the mastermind in all this, am I?"

"In a matter of speaking," Lestrade said.

"Let him go."

"What?" Lestrade cried.

"You ask for my opinion and I gave it," Moriarty said coolly.

"Do you know where to look, John?" Mycroft inquired.

"No. But I'm going to do what I can." Just then, his phone beeped with an address. "Now," he said as he held his phone up, "I know where to go." And he dashed out the room.


	8. Into the Dark

**Into the Dark**

When John arrived at the address he'd been texted, he hesitated. _Who will be in there?_ he thought. He paced back and forth in front of the door, anticipating what might happen, and planning what he would do.

* * *

"Looks like you're hero is here," a woman said as she watched John from the 3rd floor.

"John?" Mrs. Hudson asked.

"Hmm… Yes. Now let's get everything set up." She got Mrs. Hudson up from the chair and pulled her down the stairs to the floor below them. She put Mrs. Hudson in a room with no windows and no lighting.

"It's so dark!" Mrs. Hudson said quietly.

"That's the idea," the woman smiled. She put Mrs. Hudson in the corner and blindfolded her.

"What's that for?"

"Looks like I'll have to shut you up too.." Then she put a piece of duct tape over Mrs. Hudson. "This won't kill you. It's just going to hurt when you take it off." She left, but then came back a few moments later.

"What's going on?" A voice demanded.

_Sherlock?_ Mrs. Hudson thought to herself. But she couldn't say anything.

"Be quiet," said the woman who had duct taped Mrs. Hudson's mouth. She did the same to Sherlock, but put him in a different corner, then left the room.

Mrs. Hudson tapped her foot on the ground, to let Sherlock know she was there.

"Who's there?" Sherlock demanded. He had managed to get the duct tape off his mouth by stepping through his arms so they were in front of him now. Sherlock talked Mrs. Hudson through, on how to get the duct tape off, though he didn't know it was her yet.

"Sherlock!" She cried.

"Mrs. Hudson! Are you all right?"

Suddenly the door opened again. The woman returned and said, "I was stupid to think you wouldn't undo yourself, Sherlock." She then re-duct taped Sherlock's and Mrs. Hudson's mouths and knocked them out.


	9. Meeting Mike

**Meeting Mike**

John had walked up to the door twice already, but hadn't knocked. His hands were warm and sweaty. _What if she kills me?_ he thought. _What if she kills Mrs. Hudson? Or… Sherlock? _Finally, he stifled his fear, and walked up to the door. Before he could knock, it swung open.

"Come in, John," a voice said.

But John didn't move. He recognized that voice, and it made him shiver. He stepped in, and the door swung shut. It was very dark, but he could make out the general shape of alcohol bottles in the corner covered in cobwebs. _Oh no…_ he thought.

"John, dear. Come upstairs!"

* * *

Mycroft, Moriarty, and Lestrade were walking in the park, when Lestrade got a text. They all sat down, on a park bench across a man in a suit with a tan coat on. He was reading a book, and seemed to pay no attention to them.

"John says it's Harry," Lestrade said.

"I thought it was supposed to be a girl?" Mycroft said.

"Maybe you were mistaken," Lestrade said to Moriarty. "Who would John know, who's name is "Harry", who would take Sherlock, and who's possibly a girl?"

"I'm not sure of anyone who John knows who is named "Harry" or even nicknamed that," Mycroft sighed.

"Excuse me?" said the man on the other bench. "I couldn't help overhearing, and I just might have your answer."

"Do you, now?" Mycroft asked suspiciously. "Who are you, anyway?"

"Forgive me for not introducing myself, I am Mike Stamford. I went to school with Doctor Watson."

"But how could you have our answer?" Lestrade questioned. "Who could-"

"His sister," Stamford said boldly.

"Excuse me?" Moriarty inquired.

"Pardon me for interrupting you Detective, but that is only a rough guess."

"Now how do you wager that one?" Lestrade asked.

"On the day I introduced John to Sherlock, Sherlock wanted to used John's phone. It was inscribed on the back, "Harry". After Sherlock asked if John wanted to own a flat together, John said how they didn't know anything about each other. Sherlock then went on and said how he has a sister whom he doesn't contact, who drinks, who is gay, and recently broke up."

"And this helps us…?" Lestrade said.

"John has a sister, Harriet, who goes by Harry. She drinks, or did drink, she is gay, and hasn't had contact with John for years."

"What would she want with John?" Moriarty asked.

"That, I can't say. I don't know his sister too well."

"We have to go help John!" Lestrade cried.

'Wait," Mycroft said. "How do we know you aren't in it too?"

"I suppose you'll just have to trust me," Mike replied. "Excuse me, I must get back to work."

"Come with us," Lestrade said.

"What?"

"Hmm… For once, I agree with the detective," Moriarty mused.

"Well then," Mycroft said, "let's be off."

"Do you know where to go?" Mike asked.

"We do now," Lestrade said. "John- I mean Harry from John's phone, just texted me the address."

* * *

While that was happening, John had gone upstairs, and was stuck in a room by his sister.

"What do you want, Harriet?"

"To see how the famous Doctor Watson would do on his own. Can't be without your Sherlock for very long, can you?"

"What have you done with him?"

Harriet laughed. "Oh nothing you need to worry about John."

"Harriet-"

"Don't get hasty with me, dear brother."

"You sound like Mycroft."

"Well Sherlock will be hearing it from his own brother."

"What? You mean…"

"Yes, I do."

"But why?"

"To see how each of you would do without each other. Of course I needed Mycroft's help to do this all, though."

"But…"

"But what?" Harriet snapped. "You didn't come to see me at Christmas like you said you would, and you've been avoiding me! I'll have you know I quit drinking."

"I know, Harry."

"You're even more annoying than when we were kids. Always Mother's favorite."

"That's insulting. Jealous much?" John asked innocently.

Just then, Harriet got a text _We're on our way - Mike. _"Well, seems your friends will be here soon, as well as an old peer. Let's go greet them, shall we? Oops, I meant _I'll_ go greet them." Then she shut the door and walked away laughing.


	10. Changing Sides

_**Changing Sides**_

Mike was lagging behind Lestrade, Mycroft and Moriarty as they headed towards where Sherlock was being held.

"Why is he walking so slowly?" Lestrade whispered.

"Perhaps he's injured," Mycroft suggested.

"He is not injured," Moriarty said defiantly.

"I am terribly sorry, but I cannot go with you," Mike said, catching up.

"And why is that?" Mycroft inquired.

"I have business to attend to." Without further explanation Mike walked away from the group and in a different direction.

"He has something to do with the crime," Moriarty said.

"And you know that because…?" Lestrade asked.

"Why question me, Lestrade? You know I'm right," Moriarty smiled as he quickened his pace.

* * *

About an hour had past, and John was still in the room locked up. _Damn_, John thought as he paced the room. Suddenly there was a knock at the door. "Come in," John said. "As if it makes a difference what I say."

"Actually it does," Mycroft's voice sounded as he walked through the door.

"Mycroft? But how did you…?" John's voice trailed off as he pointed to the door.

"Well… I am the British government after all." Then Mycroft turned towards the door, and quickly shut it. "I must make this fast, if I'm not to get caught."

"What?"

"I have a little story to tell. If you are willing to listen. It is about your boyfriend, Sherlock."

"He's not my…" John sighed. "You're never going to believe me, are you?"

In return, Mycroft just smiled.

"All right. Tell your story, Mycroft Holmes," John Watson remarked.


	11. A Story is Partially Revealed

_**A Story is Partially Revealed**_

"I will spare you of any unnecessary details and just get right to it. I must confess I have been in on this little mystery."

"I knew it! Why are you here then?"

"Don't interrupt, Mr. Watson. I'm not sure how much you know, but we ran into Mike Stamford- Lestrade, Moriarty and I. He dismissed himself quickly after giving us a bit of information. Your sister, Harriet is the mastermind behind all this."

"I know that already."

"All right. Well there isn't too much you don't know. Sherlock and Mrs. Hudson are being held captive, and if something isn't done soon-"

The door slammed open, "Well, well, well Mycroft," Harriet said softly. "Changing sides are we?"

Mycroft gasped, "How did you know?"

"Don't you know I have cameras everywhere?"

"Why didn't you stop me?"

"I wanted to see if you'd really betray me. Seems as though you were going to; can't have that happening, now can we?" Harriet smiled coldly.

"But-"

"But what?" Harriet demanded. Not waiting for an answer, she said, "But nothing. You betray me. And now I have no further use for you." She brought a revolver out of her pocket and walked up to Mycroft. "Goodbye, Mr. Holmes."

She was about to pull the trigger when John leaped up and pushed her; the bullet lodged into the roof and exploded. "Idiot!" she screamed, "The officials will be here any minute now!" Her eyes burned with hate for her brother. "You will regret this, John Watson, you will." With that, she fled the room and charged up the stairs to her prisoners.


	12. The Officials are Here

_**The Officials are Here**_

John and Mycroft stood in silence. Neither of them had moved since Harriet had dashed out.

"Well…" John began after a few more moments of silence.

"Good riddance," Mycroft spat.

"Are you kidding? This is horrible. Now we'll surly be killed!"

"No need to be so pessimistic, John," Mycroft said. After a pause he spoke again. "I suppose a thank you is in order. So… Thank you." Mycroft said it slowly, as if he felt uncomfortable by saying it.

"You're welcome," John said. "So what now?"

"You know, I honestly can't say…" Mycroft mused.

"Where's Moriarty and Lestrade?"

"They're… around," Mycroft said quietly.

* * *

_What was that?!_ Mrs. Hudson thought frantically.

Sherlock had managed to get the duck tape off of his mouth again and was next to Mrs. Hudson. "Mrs. Hudson," he breathed.

She gasped as Sherlock pulled off the duck tape. "Ouch!" she said quietly. "What's out there?" she whispered.

"Sounds like yelling," Sherlock said. "Let me-"

"No!" You'll be hurt, Sherlock."

Sherlock touched her cheek and hushed, "I'll be fine. Stay here."

* * *

Harriet had met up with Lestrade, Moriarty and other police officers in the stairwell.

"What happened? Where's Mycroft?" Lestrade demanded.

"What? He's not with you?" Harriet asked innocently, as she blocked their way.

"Let us by," Moriarty said.

"Or what? You'll kill me?"

"Hmm… Well, no. Let's not be obvious dear," Jim mused.

"There's nothing here."

"We heard a gunshot from this building," a police officer put in.

"Really? I didn't hear anything."

"It wasn't long after Mycroft disappeared from our little party," Moriarty said. "The game is up, Harriet."

Harriet paused a moment, as if contemplating the consequences. After she figured out that she wasn't going to convince them otherwise, she tried a different approach. "Officer it was horrible," Harriet began, addressing the police. "I got a call from my friend and I came to investigate and I found two people tied upstairs with duct tape over their mouths!" She cried dramatically.

Everyone looked at each other. "But… Someone told us you were the instigator," Lestrade said confused.

"Believe none of what you hear and only half of what you see!" Harriet quoted enthusiastically.

At this point, John and Mycroft had come down to meet them. "What's-" John began.

"There he is!" Harriet screamed, pointing at John. "He's the one who captured them and made it look like I was the evil one!"

"John…" Lestrade said in a confused tone.

"But he had help. Mycroft, the British government helped him. He high jacked the technical system and made it look like I sent the texts, when it was really John!" She shrieked, seeming way too overzealous.

"Calm down," the police officer said. "Let's find the captives and straighten this out."

"Up those stairs and to the left." As the police, Lestrade and Moriarty went up, Harriet cast a furtive evil look at John, topped with a cold, creepy smile.

* * *

Sherlock, who had heard it all, quickly went back into the room and tied himself and Mrs. Hudson back up, devising a plan.


	13. Mystery the Second

_**Mystery the Second**_

"Harriet…" John whispered.

"Now is your chance to shine, John! Now you can prove just how well you can work without your boyfriend," Harriet hissed back, and charged up the stairs after the party.

"He's _not_ my boyfriend. When will anyone realize that?" John said exasperated and followed his sister.

* * *

When Sherlock heard numerous footsteps approaching, he smiled. _Let's make this a little more interesting, shall we._ He went back into the room and emptied a bottle onto the floor. Dipping his finger in it, he wrote something on the wall.

Grabbing Mrs. Hudson he said, "Follow me, and keep quiet."

"Wha-" Mrs. Hudson began, but Sherlock covered her mouth.

"Shh," he said, pulling her up another flight of stairs stealthily.

* * *

"Where are they?" Lestrade asked.

"What's that?" one of the police officers inquired.

"It looks like blood!" Harriet cried.

"Definitely blood," Lestrade mused. "John?"

"Look," John pointed. On the wall, "siostra" was scrawled in blood.

"Hmm... that would be 'sister' in Polish" Mycroft said.

Everyone turned to Harriet. "I can honestly say I have no idea what's going on…"


	14. The Secret

_**The Secret**_

"Get Molly immediately," Lestrade said.

"What? She played a part in all this you know," John reminded them.

"I know, but we need to find out what this is. She's the only one who can help. Find Miss Molly Hooper," Lestrade asked one of the police men.

"Oh, that won't be-" Harriet began.

"Of course it's necessary. She's the expert," Lestrade said quickly. But then he paused, "Unless of course you have some objection Miss Watson."

"No, none at all. Excuse me, I have to-"

"I think you'd better stay here," Lestrade said.

Sherlock and Mrs. Hudson were listening through a vent in the wall from the upstairs room. Sherlock closed their end and Mrs. Hudson asked, "Why on earth did you do that, Sherlock?"

"Just giving them a little hint."

"Who's blood was that, anyways?"

Sherlock looked at her, "I can't tell you that part."

"Why not, dear?"

Sherlock ignored her and paced the room.

"What's wrong?"

"I've got to think."

"Well, all I know is that Harriet started all this and she roped Molly into this too. Molly didn't want to, but of course she had to. And Moriarty-"

"Wait, repeat what you just said."

"Why? Harriet started-"

"Yes, yes. But why did Molly have to help Harriet?"

"Well to save you, dear."

"What?" Sherlock asked.

"Oh, I thought you knew. Harriet would have exposed your secret. I'm not quite sure what secret, but apparently it's "the secret"."

"Brilliant," Sherlock said and flew out of the room.


End file.
